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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23883565">That Business on Cato Neimoidia</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooshkabunny/pseuds/mooshkabunny'>mooshkabunny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Mechanic AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anyways, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Is it Hurt/Comfort if its just like healing an injury?, M/M, a bundle of different tropes, mechanic AU, mentions of past Satine/Obi Wan and Jango/Bane, same continuity as my other fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:13:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23883565</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooshkabunny/pseuds/mooshkabunny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not in their nature to ignore distress signals, even if they are no longer Jedi. <br/>They should probably start. Some people are abusing the privilege...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cad Bane/Obi-Wan Kenobi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Mechanic AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>That Business on Cato Neimoidia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am still working on Cheat the System and the second part of the Attack of the Clones arc, but I doodled a quick comic of this on tumblr, and then the idea wouldn't leave me alone. D: SO! This will make reference to things that will eventually happen, but have not yet in Cheat the System, and takes place during Clone Wars, sometime in Season 3, after the Ziro the Hutt episode, but before all that delightful Rako Hardeen business in season 4.</p>
<p>Just call me Filoni, bouncing around this anthology timeline whenever the story strikes, 'cause I have no self control! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯</p>
<p>(Also if there is literally already a canon answer to that Business on Cato Neimoidia, i did not know, but this is an AU already so... here we go! hope you have as much fun reading as i did writing!!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He honestly could have done without the kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The events leading up to the kiss had been annoying, irritating, and unnecessarily secretive, but he could understand them. Back on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anakin and he’d received a distress signal on their private channel, something they’d only given out to Shmi, Tetra, and Padme, should the occasion arise where they would need to contact them privately. (Obi Wan </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>secretly given Satine access as well, though they had decided together it was unlikely she would ever use it. Just in case.) So, knowing that all those four individuals were all equally unlikely to be on Cato Neimoidia in the middle of the Clone Wars, it was odd that the distress signal, on their private channel only four people knew about, would be coming from there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s probably important,” Anakin had said seriously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s probably a trap,” Obi Wan had said with a sigh. Either way, it wasn’t something they thought they could ignore. “I’ll go and suss it out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’ll rescue you when it goes to hell!” Anakin had smirked, and even now he was dreading that eventuality. He could see it now: Anakin swooping in, the same smirk he was currently wearing slapped on his face, and those dreaded words just begging to be said: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I told you so.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was determined to not let that happen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Obi Wan had arrived on Cato Neimoidia, there was a bit of a commotion already. Droids were being sent this way and that, accosting individuals on the landing pad as they were about to leave, interrogating them, moving them along to go somewhere else to continue to harass them. Something had clearly happened. And he had a terribly bad feeling that it was all related to the damned distress signal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that something arrived quickly as a hooded figure stormed up to him, grabbed him, and kissed him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the kiss that had short-circuited poor Obi Wan Kenobi. Forceful, swift, and followed with a quick bite of sharp teeth, his face lingered as the other person parted from him, and leaned in to whisper with a voice far too familiar, “Play along or we die, got it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Bane</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought trying to swallow down a number of different inconvenient emotions, and focus on the moment, but the moment was hard to focus on as the tall duros draped his arms around his shoulders, and leaned into him to turn to the battle droids that had been chasing after the disguised Cad Bane. “Halt! We’ve been saying that forever, can’t you hear?” the battle droid squeaked desperately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane transformed before his eyes, looking bewildered, startled, and the complete fabricated picture of innocence. He put his hand once on his own chest, and then on Obi Wan’s, “Oh, I got carried away! I know I shouldn’t have, with the lockdown, but my husband was coming to pick me up before all this mess started, and I was just so relieved to see him. You can understand?” His modulated voice did not sound half as vicious as usual, but when he pressed his head into the crook of Obi Wan’s shoulder and whispered, “Sell it,” it returned with full force.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How he was supposed to sell </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>he hadn’t the first clue, but it seemed as though the battle droids were equally as uncomfortable with all this outright affection as he was. Willing his eyes not to roll, he lifted Bane’s face by the chin, and stared into his eyes, hoping the Bounty Hunter felt all of his annoyance. “What’s going on, my dear? Is something the matter?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane was perfectly aware, and if they hadn’t been acting, that smile would have certainly been a nasty sneer. “There’s a lockdown in place for some reason, I haven’t the first clue, but they won’t let anyone leave!” Bane nodded his head over to the droids, “I tried to explain that we have important business, but they won’t listen! Tell them that we can’t stay here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he was supposed to bluster and bully a pair of battle droids. This was unlike Bane, and Obi Wan had to note that something else must be at play here, but anything to make this end sooner, “Now see here,” he started, but the droids were joined by a Neimoidian official, looking fearful and haggard. He couldn’t help but notice as the official walked up, Bane hid his face behind his decorated hood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m very sorry, Sirs, but there has been an incident, and we cannot allow anyone to leave the premises until we have cleared them as potential suspects. We have comfortable waiting rooms for you to wait in until this is all sorted out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you quite sure that’s completely necessary?” Obi Wan asked, feeling the fury blazing off of Cad Bane behind him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, yes. But I suppose it is lucky that at least you won’t be alone, sir, hm?” the poor official was trying to be kind. Bane snarled, but covered it with a chuckle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lucky indeed,” was all he said, as they were led politely, but quite forcefully, off the landing platform and back towards the building by the droids. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan could have done more, perhaps, to fix this situation. He could tell that Bane knew that as well. But really, having been tricked into coming here in the first place, and forced to put up with this ruse, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>kissed </span>
  </em>
  <span>without any sort of warning, he was content to just let Bane glare at him as they walked through what Obi Wan had to assume was some government building that also functioned as a hotel, judging by the myriad of non-Neimoidians being escorted similarly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane grabbed his hand, pulling him close to whisper, “What the hell are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly as you said,” he hissed back. “Playing along.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you do any of that Jedi magic you’re always throwing around?” he chuckled playfully as passersby watched them with odd looks, but there was nothing but thinly disguised venom in his voice now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Two could play at this game, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi Wan thought with a laugh of his own, as he pulled Bane close and kissed him on his cheek.  He could feel Bane instinctually balk, but force himself to stay put. If they were going to play the couple, he’d play the damn couple, and well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seemed a little too convenient,” he whispered against blue skin, “I’m guessing you’ve killed someone, and they found out, and things have gone south. You don’t want to be discovered yes? So just racing up to a ship and being allowed to leave when no one else does? That doesn’t make much sense, they’d shoot us out of the sky. I’m a decent pilot, but not that decent. Besides,” he smiled, pulling away, “I do like to see you squirm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That made Bane let go, gently pushing him away without seeming overly suspicious. Finally, the droid left them at some small, comfortable room that could have been for lodging or simply waiting, which did nothing to ease Obi Wan’s worry that this would be a long term affair. As soon as the door closed behind them, Bane was once again himself, his eyes cold, a snarl etched on his face, and his focus on the room around them, darting this way and that, looking much like a rat in a cage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come, let’s sit, and discuss a plan rather than stomp around having a tantrum,” Obi Wan sighed, and Bane just scoffed at him, tossing a small device at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He caught it, and recognized immediately what it was. “A listening device?” he asked, but Bane just lifted a hand, and moved to another section of the room. Once clear, he crushed the devices in his hand, and Obi Wan did the same with the one he held. “Care to explain what’s going on now?” Even now as they’d removed the devices, Bane’s eyes would not settle, eyeing the room up and down for something that could help their escape. Obi Wan was not feeling particularly patient though, and snapped, “Bane! What’s going on?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Bane looked at Obi Wan. He was almost grateful for the contempt in his eyes. There was nothing confusing about that look--as he could have expected, Cad Bane was here to do harm, to use Obi Wan as required, and to be on his way. It was easy to stamp out the earlier inconvenient feelings, ones that didn’t even need to be named, when Cad Bane once again resumed his role as Bounty Hunter, villain, and enemy. Bane shrugged, and sat gracefully down on a far too ornate lounge chair, his disguise, decorated, jingly robes and jewels hanging off of him, looking as though he belonged here. “Got a job, was told to pin it on someone else. Went south when that someone else caught a glimpse of me. Had to blend in, not kill anybody, not make a quick exit. It got complicated. Just means I get to charge extra,” he smirked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And how do you suppose we’re to get out of this mess? What even </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>our cover story?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane just rolled his eyes. “I’m an accountant hired by an official, Gis Vanda, to look over the books on their latest charity event for the war effort. My job finished today, and my delightful spouse,” he looked pointedly at Obi Wan, and he did his best not to react. He didn’t do a good job of it though. Bane laughed, “Was supposed to pick me up, on our way to our honeymoon. Last job before the big break, so on, so forth.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was I always a part of this plan?” at the very least he could have been told. He would have said no, obviously, but the secrecy of it all had to have been the worst of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t get too upset, but I did ask Aurra first and she said no,” he was teasing him. Cad Bane was really teasing him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>As if he wasn’t always</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Obi Wan thought, memories coming to annoy him further.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As if I would care,” he didn’t, he really didn’t. But somewhere in all this, he’d begun pacing. He made himself stop, breathing deeply and thinking of old meditation techniques to clear his mind. It was difficult, with Bane watching him closely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did pretty good for yourself. Even if you didn’t do any of your Jedi magic to make this easier on us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was that a compliment?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mostly an observation,” Bane stood, walking over to stand just a bit too close to Obi Wan. He was always standing just a bit too close. “I guess I rattled you a bit too much with that kiss though, otherwise we’d be outta here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was certainly not rattled,” he started, and Bane leaned in closer, closer than he would like, and yet…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then you liked it? Good to know,” he said, and Obi Wan started to object to that as well, before Bane turned him around, and pointed at the wall behind them. “We’ll have to explore that further later. In the meantime, make it up to me, and tell me if I’m right that that’s a window, not a wall.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan snapped his mouth closed, and looked at the wall in question, putting all thoughts of closeness and objections out of his mind. Easier said than done, but once his senses picked up that indeed, the wall before them was a window not a wall, the task became simple. He strode up to it, finding the hidden panel behind some complicated painting of metallic colors splashed together, and there! The wall color dissolved, revealing a clear transperisteel—no just glass, he discovered as he touched it. The window looked out over into a communal garden area that seemed to lead out of this building and into the wider city below. He smiled, “It’s better than a window. It’s a way out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane was of the same mind, his eyes darting around the outside, clearly plotting his next moves. A quick glance Obi Wan’s way, and he nodded to the glass, “You got that lightsaber of yours ready?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If this was transperisteel, I’d already be cutting. I can cut through the glass, but the heat of it will likely shatter the whole thing. Not much of a quiet get away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was disappointed, but nodded, as if he were expecting this. “Can’t be helped then,” he said, ripping off his disguise, and bundling some of the cushions laying around into them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Obi Wan started, and swallowed words just as fast, as Bane shot the robe covered pillows out the window, looking for all intents and purposes like a body falling from such a height. While people screamed below, Bane rushed for the front door, Obi Wan followed close at hand, and punched the panel, forcing it open.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Outside, there had been droids, but with the commotion downstairs, droids and sentients alike were rushing towards windows and overlooks just to see what happened. No one saw them as they made their exit. The temptation to go back towards the shuttle at the landing bay was strong, but the crowd was too thick there. A quick turn, and they disappeared into the crowds, rushing with the throng down a flight of stairs towards the main garden.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the rest of the crowd rushed to see what the gathering of droids and officials were saying in the garden, Bane grabbed Obi Wan’s collar, pulling him towards a separate hallway, exiting out into a busy city walk, where people idly looked passed them, hearing the shouts, but thought nothing more of it. They bumped into a Neimoidian who asked something of Bane in his tongue, but a scowl from Bane made the poor man curse and rush away. All Obi Wan caught of the exchange was the viciousness with which the man said </span>
  <em>
    <span>duros</span>
  </em>
  <span> which made him pause, but Bane didn’t seem to think anything of it, as they walked and scanned the street for any sign of a direction to go. To the left towards the shuttle was the obvious choice, but there lied the largest concentration of droids. They made their way to the right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was there a problem back there?” Obi Wan ventured, quiet and casual he hoped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane looked confused for a moment, before shaking his head, “That’s nothing, just the usual Neimoidian snobbery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And that’s typical?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ever met a Neimoidian? Talked to them more than a minute? Yeah, it’s usual.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan couldn’t say that his previous encounters with Neimoidians were ever terribly pleasant, but he would have ventured that that was simply because they were politicians. He let the matter drop, and instead glanced at his reluctant partner, “So what now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your comms working?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t thought to check, and when he did, he was disappointed. “Jammed. Of course it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mine too. We need to lie low, find someplace where we can patch through the comms jam, contact your kid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan sighed, “Anakin is not my </span>
  <em>
    <span>kid. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And he’s not involved—.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You telling me you came here without him and he’s not just waiting in atmosphere somewhere waiting to bail you out?” Bane shrugged, “That’s just a bad plan if not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He groaned, letting his shoulders fall, “He… Is nearby. I told him if I don’t contact him within a standard day, he can come in and try to ‘save the day.’”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you say he’s not your kid,” Bane said it cruelly under his breath, but Obi Wan couldn’t help but smile at that, whether or not Bane understood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So we could wait,” Obi Wan said, observing the city around them. It was populous, crowded, neon signs reflecting off golden buildings, that dipped into a dark blue as you sunk lower into the city’s shaded depths. Speeders dashed by in the air, mostly personal at this hour, but traffic was frequently clogged by shipping cruisers delivering goods from one building to the next. That could be useful to remember. And it wouldn’t be too hard to blend in—well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wouldn’t be too hard if they were both Neimoidian. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The building they had been in before seemed to be the sole population of other sentients, and while the random Ithorian or Gran walked by, there was a distinct lack of human faces. Even duros were in short supply here, though a less keen eye might not be able to see the difference between Neimoidian and Duros. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane must have seen Obi Wan come to this conclusion, as he smirked, and nodded his head around, “Out in the open, not so likely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, shelter first, comms second.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And not a moment too soon,” Bane growled, turning his head lightly as they spotted a troop of droidekas and a battle droid accost some shopkeepers behind them, asking all sorts of questions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d certainly be found. Thinking quickly, Obi Wan grabbed Bane’s hand and pulled him into an alleyway as the droids finished interrogating the next group of people. It was likely a stupid plan, to think the same thing could work twice, but it was all he could think of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Play along,” he hissed at Bane, who looked down at him with the mildest amusement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t believe I’m doing this, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi Wan thought with a grumble, as the droids clanked closer, and Obi Wan pulled Bane down for another kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A shiver went through him as he felt Bane smile against his lips. His own were still tender from where Bane had bitten him before, and when he did it again, same spot, a horrible electricity thrilled through him. A dark thought occurred to Obi Wan that he’d like to even the score, he’d like to make that same shock go through the bounty hunter, just once, just once make his knees wobble underneath them both. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! Get a grip, you two, don’t you know the law about public decency?” The nasally voice of the droid called out, and Obi Wan’s face fell. He’d thought the discomfort was just that, not a </span>
  <em>
    <span>law. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Had he just pulled them into greater trouble? He pulled away, hiding himself so as not to be recognized, and Bane, being slightly taller, obliged by hiding both of them behind his frame, waving a quick thumbs up at the droid to let it know they got the message, and shuffling Obi Wan along down the alley. Behind them, he could hear the droid sigh dramatically, and move along. Next to him, he could feel the laughter desperate to burst out of Bane. His stomach fell. He wanted nothing more than to disappear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, he snapped, “It's a </span>
  <em>
    <span>law?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You just couldn’t keep your hands off me, could you?” Bane said, failing on purpose to hide his teasing. “I knew further exploration was on the table, but I meant later, Kenobi, later! You’re much too eager.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last word was like a purr. Every inch of his skin felt on fire at that, and he did his best to start outpacing Bane. He didn’t want to be near him. He didn’t want to look at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I tried to warn you about Neimoidian snobbery,” he chuckled, walking behind him now, his voice low and husky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the last time I try something from your playbook,” Obi Wan was trying to turn his mind away from Bane and back to the matter at hand. Shelter, comms, out of here. Thank the stars Anakin wasn’t here to see the mess this had become. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t be too hasty, my playbook’s quite fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“None of this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>fun</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Bane!” Shelter, comms, out of here, he was trying, desperately trying, but now Bane caught up to him and was looking at him like a lothcat looks at its prey.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why’d you come?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan halted, his brain unable to come up with an answer for that. “It was a distress signal. I always help,” he swallowed, and looked back at Bane with a glare, “Even if it’s you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Always the hero,” Bane sighed, tired of the conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They walked in silence after that. Eventually, the alley led to a particularly unsavory part of town, close to a shipping cruiser exclusive lane. That could be their ticket out. Most of the buildings nearby were abandoned, and so breaking in was easy. Their spot of choice, though mostly picked clean by looters and scrappers, had a mostly abandoned comms port, a bit old fashioned to make any money out of by scrapping, but useful enough to clear the jamming signal preventing theirs from reaching off planet. In moments, they’d contacted Anakin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was almost worse than talking to Bane. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Almost. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sooooo?” Anakin responded to the hail, only seeing Obi Wan currently. That seemed to suit Bane just fine, who waited in the corner, watching with a bored grimace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan sighed, “Don’t make me say it, Anakin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did the mission go… Well?” he was going to make him say it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “It went to hell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane chuckled at that. Anakin frowned, as it occurred to him that his </span>
  <em>
    <span>I told you so </span>
  </em>
  <span>was not the most interesting part of this mission. He very easily could have turned and seen Bane, but he was staring, dead at Obi Wan, disappointment emanating off of him in furious waves. “Obi Wan. Please tell me that who you ended up rescuing is not who I think it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anakin,” Obi Wan started, trying to keep them on task. He wasn’t sure how long they’d have to speak. But Anakin would not let up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please let it be someone cool. Like Hondo! Or Maz Kanata maybe! Just, please, please, please tell me that you did not give access to our Private Channel to Cad Bane…?” Dread was already suffusing all of Anakin’s features. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>give</span>
  </em>
  <span> him access,” Obi Wan said, unable to look Anakin in the eye, especially as he groaned like the living dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is such a sweet little diversion,” Bane finally spoke up, interrupting what was sure to be a long and tireless tirade of Anakin’s, and moved into view. “But time’s credits, and I’d like to go back to making some.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin’s mouth opened, affronted, and closed, still affronted. But he pouted, glaring daggers at Bane before turning back to Obi Wan, all business, “Look, as long as your comms stay on, I can lock onto your location, but I’ve checking the traffic feeds, and it looks like things aren’t going to clear up until morning when the new shipments from offworld come in. I can sneak in with them. Think you can handle yourselves for the night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t just get in and out?” Bane asked incredulously. “Haven’t I heard some rumor that you’re supposed to be the best pilot around?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin’s smile was deadly, “I am, thank you very much, and I’d love to do nothing more than to cause chaos, fly the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss </span>
  </em>
  <span>directly into traffic, and pull you guys out of a jam while getting shot to hell and back. But I figured we were exercising some amount of caution, since you lied and tricked us here under false pretenses, and the whole city seems to be in lockdown over whatever you did. So unless we want to go with my usual strategy, which in a perfect world, would leave you behind, which I’d be completely fine with, what are our other options?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan jumped in before Bane could say anything to make this worse, “We’ll stay the night,” as a reminder, he looked to Bane pointedly, and said, “We are trying to be discreet after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither looked happy, but neither continued to argue. That was enough for Obi Wan. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath slightly, and let loose and untensed as he spoke, “Then we’ll meet tomorrow morning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keep your commlink on,” Anakin said sternly and Obi Wan nodded. The two of them exchanged a look Obi Wan knew deeply--and with the smallest of smiles, Obi Wan promised to be careful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he dropped the call, Bane was already moving about, heading out the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you going? Didn’t we just agree we’d wait?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, sure, we’ll wait, but we don’t have to be in here all day now, do we?” He peered out the door, something that would look cautious with any other person, but somehow Bane made it look reckless, like he was daring trouble to come out and meet him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is typically the definition of wait,” Obi Wan stood to quickly join him, as Bane stepped out, and started walking back the way they’d come.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll be back,” the way he spoke sounded more like an eye roll than if he actually had. “I’m just itching to stretch my legs is all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t anyone sit still these days,” he grumbled to himself, but Bane heard him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re free to stay and sit in the dark for hours on end, but unlike you, I have a pulse,” he smirked, mostly to himself, but did turn to look at Obi Wan, “Plus, I’m hungry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” of course, it had been quite a day so far. He would have forgotten completely, but he realized he was quite hungry too. He did not want to acknowledge that for a moment, it came as a complete shock to think that Cad Bane was a regular enough person who ate and drank like everyone else, and that right now, they were about to eat together as regular people do. So, instead he looked straight ahead and simply nodded, “Right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were careful to avoid guards and droids, which turned out to be easier than before. He wasn’t quite sure the time of day here on Cato Neimoidia, but based on the slowly dwindling crowds being met with newer, early birds, he wondered if it was that odd space of time in between lunch and dinner. Nobody took notice of anyone, for they all had somewhere else to be, either back to work, or off to finally relax after a long day. It was almost pleasant, the laughter and smiles surrounding them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane took no notice of any of it, filtering in and out of crowds like a shadow. They passed through one group, and Obi Wan almost missed it, but distinctly saw the bounty hunter casually pickpocket someone, and stash their credits like it was nothing. He frowned, deeply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have credits, you know,” he huffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Separatist credits?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes! Well,” Obi Wan and Anakin were certainly not neutral in their opinions, but they’d repaired a few Separatist allied vessels as mechanics… Not a lot, truly, but, “Enough for something to eat at least. And shouldn’t you have credits?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is a business expense, and I ain’t about to use my credits on food,” it was Bane’s turn to huff, but he looked down at Obi Wan with not half as much bite as per usual. “Can’t give it back now anyway.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could, but Obi Wan knew better than to push. There was no more stealing, nor scolding on either of their parts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stopped at a hole in the wall sort of place, a few tables, sparsely spread, hidden in between two much larger buildings, and shaded away from the dipping sunlight dappling the city walk. Judging by the other clientele, also oddballs out in the Neimoidian city, it was precisely the sort of place Obi Wan would imagine a Bounty Hunter picking. The owner saw them come in, placed two jugs of something bubbling down, and hurried off without taking any orders. Obi Wan shot Bane a glance, but he was busy eyeing the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the window, a cyborg sat, watching the crowd walk by, a light on her eye piece blinking out, absolutely in some sort of coded message. A Besalisk sat at the farthest corner, speaking in low whispers with a lithe, fur-covered woman. When they saw Bane looking at them, they dropped their credits on the table, and quickly left. The Rodian that had been sitting closest to them waited until they were gone, and made a lunge to take the leftover credits, before the owner walked by, smacking him down with one hand, balancing a tray of noodles with the other. He deposited a bowl to the Rodian, and snapped in Twi’leki accented basic, “Extra.” The last two bowls were left in front of them, and Obi Wan was pleased to see that they looked fairly decent in a comfortingly greasy sort of way. He didn’t think it, but he must have made an unconscious effort to talk before Bane groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just eat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He did not need to be told twice, but he did wonder at the slight change in Bane’s demeanor. He kept himself seated outward, leaning away from the table as much as possible, watching the other customers carefully, while also promoting his typical air of nonchalance. But he was tense. Something was putting him on edge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried to ask, and again, Bane snapped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have I given the impression that I want a conversation? My mistake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the matter? Everyone here seems much more afraid of you or else in their own little world entirely,” it was almost funny. But Bane seemed to absolutely refuse to look back at Obi Wan, and he had to know why. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Best to eat fast, and get out, ‘s’all,” it came out as a growl, though he could see Bane was trying to hide whatever was bothering him now that he could tell Obi Wan was catching on. So, he left it alone, and ate quietly, pondering to himself what could be that set the great bounty hunter so on edge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They did in fact eat fast and get out, leaving behind the necessary credits, making sure the watchful eye of the owner spotted them doing so. The sun still was hanging in the sky, steadily lowering, but not nearly quickly enough. Obi Wan suddenly became very antsy for the morning to come. He watched the sun, sighing heavily at the thought that there was still hours left to go. When he looked back towards his companion, Bane was not there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The urge to call out was overwhelmed by the knowledge that he was a rather well known bounty hunter, and despite not being in his regular iconic ensemble today, calling out </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cad Bane </span>
  </em>
  <span>in a crowd would likely be akin to yelling </span>
  <em>
    <span>fire</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no hint, no clue. In the back of his mind, he knew what his first thought would be if he were Cad Bane: steal the shuttle, ditch the jedi. He moved to the left side of the city walk, back towards the landing pad, but something stilled him. He turned back around, and followed the city walk further right. The Force would guide him. He was no tracker like Quinlan Vos, but with all their myriad encounters, he did have a minor read on Bane. Perhaps that was the instinct the Force picked up on, leading him passed shops and stalls, down another alleyway towards the shadier shops a few streets down. It was too early for many of them to be open just yet, but a couple bars and clubs had employees beginning the drudgery of the work night, cleaning and preparing the space for whatever debauchery they hosted in the dark. Weapons dealers were the ones mostly still operating, though a few of them had begun to close up shop, eager to slip over to their neighbors for drinks and spice. And oh, there were spice dealers. A young falleen woman, just around Anakin’s age, took to following him down the street, hawking her wares. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re looking pent up! Need something to relax ya? I got just the thing,” she smiled, trying her best to press up as close to him as possible. Likely an attempt to utilize the falleen pheromones to help in her sales. Or, judging by her stumbling and swaying, she was high.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jedi mind tricks typically worked well on the inebriated, and this girl was absolutely her own favorite customer. But he’d not used his lightsaber yet, and he’d done his best to be discrete here. But if Bane was gone, did he really have to stay discrete? Either way, she was beginning to grab him, and he was tired of it. She had to be dealt with. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As subtly as he could, he turned to her, smiling, and waved his hand gently, “You don’t want to sell me spice. You don’t want to sell me anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still smiling, and still holding onto him, she nodded, “I don’t want to sell you spice. I don’t want to sell you anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You want to let me go, and tell me if you saw any duros around here,” he said, and while she began to remove herself, he helped her stand straight. She was still a little loose from all the spice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to let you go,” she paused, thinking. “I mean, there’s plenty of duros around, this is the cheap district, that’s where we all go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any you didn’t recognize? Someone new perhaps?” he pressed, and she swayed, but righted herself this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah,” she started, but an Ithorian gestured towards them from a nearby shop. Obi Wan left her to her own devices as she began to go bother anyone else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes?” Obi Wan said, as he approached, the older Ithorian looking at him suspiciously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You a cop?” he said through a translation device he wore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, “No, not all. I’ve just been… Ditched as it were.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Ithorian didn’t care beyond the No. He nodded quickly, gesturing with his large l-shaped head towards a building at the end of the block, dark and foreboding. “He went into the old complex. Nobody goes in there, it's been condemned. He wasn’t alone neither. Another man, disguised, and a bunch of droids. Didn’t look good, if you know what I mean.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I suppose this did all start as a rescue mission, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought, but wondered if he even should. What did they owe Cad Bane to help him at all? He’d kidnapped Anakin, shot at every person Obi Wan cared about, committed heinous, terrible crimes…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And despite it all, he was still going in to save him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Always the hero</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he remembered Bane grumbling earlier. Perhaps he was, but Bane was the one always getting into trouble. Now wasn’t any different. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He approached the old complex, clearly some old building, meant for fast, cheap housing for growing populations. It could not have been built to last, it’s facade crumbling, and a steady lattice work of boards and metal cable all that really held it up anymore, promising repairs that would never happen. Everyone nearby avoided it by some instinctual principle. Obi Wan felt it himself: some inkling in the back of his mind and making the hairs on his arms and neck stand that said </span>
  <em>
    <span>with the slightest breeze, this thing is coming down. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There were no lights on inside, from what he could gather just by looking in a window. And as the sun set on the city walk, and the more deeply shaded alleyways they were in drifted closer to darkness, this building was nearly pitch black.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sighed. There was nothing for it. He climbed in through the empty window, and ignited his lightsaber, pressing forward through the dark. Wherever he was currently had to have once been an office, a smattering of chairs and desks littering the ground. He weaved through them towards the door, and opened it slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Voices sounded out in the dark, still too distant to truly make out, but close enough that he could guess where they were. He went down the hall, passed the foyer, the words growing more distinct as he moved, and towards the back of the building, he began to make out full sentences. “There’s just the little matter of payment left,” Bane said, and Obi Wan couldn’t help but roll his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He doused his lightsaber, and paused just at the corner of a large meeting space that opened to stairs going up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was right behind about a dozen droids, and one (badly disguised) Nute Gunray. And Nute Gunray was not happy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Payment? After the bangled up mess you’ve left for me to clean up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did my part, Senator. You told me to kill your opponent and place the blame on his campaign manager. What you failed to tell me was that they were involved.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nute Gunray sputtered, but Bane kept talking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Makes for a pretty scene, and hard to deny evidence, sure. But it does make my getaway a little harder when the man’s lover is in the other room and I’m not allowed to kill him, hmm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not my problem! You shouldn’t have been spotted! Kul Otto’s been rambling on and on about some hooded shadow figure! He knows it was you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know how many people are rambling about hooded shadow figures these days? Use it! Discredit him, call him mad, call him a liar, you’re the politician! I can’t do your job for you too,” Bane was clearly irritated, his arms crossed and his lips snarled, but his focus was not at all on Gunray. Obi Wan could see he was already calculating plans for escape, every exaggerated gesture of annoyance a carefully orchestrated step towards Obi Wan. Whether the bounty hunter could see him or not, he wasn’t sure, but Bane was ready to act. Obi Wan would be right behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Be that as it may,” Nute Gunray spoke slowly, a calm he couldn’t possibly be feeling taking over, “I can clean up this mess. And I intend to. That simply means I tie up all the loose ends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane growled. The droids lifted their blasters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Including you,” Nute Gunray said, and Obi Wan didn’t even think.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The floor above, like the whole building, was a crumbling mess, but this particular floor already had a long, wide crack in it, just begging for the tension it was holding up to be released. So Obi Wan did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reaching out into the force, he pulled the tension loose, and the floor above Nute Gunray and his droids toppled down. Stray blaster fire shot out, towards the ceiling that was now threatening to stomp them out, towards Bane who rolled deftly out of the way, towards Obi Wan, purely by random chance, but he bounced it right back. He looked towards Bane, who stood, seeing him, and the two of them began to run as a couple surviving droids began to dig themselves out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hurried out the front door, making their way to the back of the building, back to the alley, when Bane grabbed Obi Wan, pulling him into the dark behind a wall, and gestured to wait.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure what for, but not a moment later, Nute Gunray and at least four droids emerged, looking this way and that. “Find them! Quickly! I don’t want survivors!” Nute Gunray huffed at the droids, who stole off into the streets, as fast as they were programmed to be, leaving one dusty, heaving Senator to catch his breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he knew it, Bane stalked over to the Senator, dragging him into the shadows with them. The Senator squealed, especially hard when Bane let go to point his blaster right under his wobbling chin. “So, about that payment then?” Was all Bane had to say, the most polite and nastiest smile Obi Wan had ever seen dancing across his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My droids will find you!” Nute Gunray bluffed. “You can’t intimidate me! I have friends in high places!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Trust me when I say Dooku replaces everybody,” Bane sighed. “I don’t think he’ll miss you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan wasn’t sure what to do, but he spoke without thinking, “Pay the man and call off the droids. No one else needs to get hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both looked at him as if he’d appeared out of thin air. Nute Gunray even squinted, blinking hard as recognition dawned on him, “Jedi?” He whispered, his mouth dropping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not these days, no,” it used to make a part of his soul cringe to say it. Now it was mostly a numbness. “But you better do what he says. Even with all the powers of a Jedi, Bane’s a much more frightening adversary to have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a moment of floundering, but Nute Gunray punched in some orders on his wrist comm, and held up his hands in surrender, “There. There is your money, and the droids have been called off. Satisfied?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Completely,” Bane smiled much more pleasantly now, though it still had that edge that gave you the chills. He dropped his hold on Nute Gunray, pushing him into the dirt, and began walking off with the swiftest of salutes, “Pleasure doing business with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan did not offer Nute Gunray the same treatment, but couldn’t bring himself to help the man up either, thinking back on their previous encounters, and the trouble he’d caused not just the galaxy, but his friends. Even so, he turned, intending not to help the Senator, and walk away just as coolly as Bane. But when he heard Nute Gunray cough, he turned right around, and helped him up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is a Jedi doing here anyway?” Nute Gunray mumbled to himself. “And as a bounty hunter no less?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn’t time to correct him, but he did anyway, “Not a Jedi, and not a bounty hunter.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just a fool</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought, as he left the Senator behind, and followed after Bane.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan expected to be sent on another chase trying to find him, twice as difficult now that the sun had been fully replaced by a starry sky, but Bane seemed to be waiting for him, leaned up against a wall, hands in pockets, and a toothpick dangling from his lip. He cut quite the figure, and Obi Wan cursed his own thoughts for thinking so. But something wasn’t quite right as he approached.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You done playing hero, Kenobi?” Bane said, forcing his usual languidness into his words. Obi Wan frowned, as he noticed upon closer inspection a subtle shake went through Bane’s left arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you hurt?” He blurted out, reaching out, but Bane slapped his hand away, noticeably keeping the left still firmly in his pocket.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He removed his toothpick with a snarl, “Don’t try it, Kenobi. I don’t do well with heroics. Back there, it was useful, got me out of a bind. But don’t expect thanks or gratitude.” He paused, dancing the toothpick along his fingers before tossing it away, and pushing off the wall with some effort. “You can have a cut though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he hadn’t been so focused on the fact that Bane was walking much slower than usual, he might have been touched. Maybe even negotiated that cut of the profits or been offended at even the consideration of taking a bounty. Instead, he rounded on Bane, grabbing his right shoulder, and forcing him to stop, “You are hurt!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Buzz off, Jedi,” Bane pushed passed him, but the wince that came with the attempt was unmissable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Push me away all you like, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re not yourself,” Obi Wan began, only to be interrupted by petulant grumbling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you know?” Stars, was everyone as bad as Anakin?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me help you back to,” what would he even call it? The first abandoned building they’d been in today? Home base? They wouldn’t make it back to the shuttle at this point, Obi Wan could see the strain of walking was doing much more damage to Bane than anything. They’d have to collect it in the morning, as was the plan. “Let me just help you back, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was clearly a lot of protest still fighting within Bane, but it died quickly as he tried to move forward, and winced once more. He nodded, but held out his hand to stop Obi Wan from moving to help him walk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need help getting there. I can walk just fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The temptation to tease, to argue, to say something bitingly sarcastic was strong. But Obi Wan said nothing, and let Bane keep his pride.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To an outside observer, the journey back to their little hovel would have looked like two companions out on a leisurely nighttime stroll, possibly up to no good, but that was simply the aura Cad Bane always projected. But, stripped down to nondescript civilian wear, no hat and no coat billowing behind him, struggling with the effort to just walk, Obi Wan was struck quite suddenly with the thought that Cad Bane was just… An ordinary man. A cruel, heartless one by nature of his profession, to be sure. Friendless by choice, and for good reason. Calculated and deadly, the best of his caliber. But even all that, in the eyes of the Force, did not hide how very typical men like he truly were. Proud, stubborn, and alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were many questions this observation brought up. Was he always like this? Would things be different if Jango Fett were still alive? If they were still partners in life and in crime? Could something have changed early on in this man’s life to have put that magnificent, calculating brain of his to better use? But question after question, Obi Wan couldn’t help but think the same answer: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did it really matter?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What If’s and could be’s, they did not change the reality of the moment. Nor did it change the reality of his feelings. For whatever reason, despite everything he knew he should think and feel about this man, he was drawn to him still. And the thought of him, proud, stubborn, and alone, injured and walking through it without a word, patching himself somewhere alone in the dark…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite everything, Obi Wan was very glad to be here, with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They reached their abandoned little building, and after the last one they had been in, it didn’t necessarily look palatial, but it certainly looked cozier than the crumbling mess they’d left behind. Bane immediately went to the far wall, leaning against it and falling to the ground with a groan. Obi Wan moved to help, when his comm chimed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin’s voice pierced through the dark quiet, as it was wont to do, booming and shaking through him like an earthquake, “Where have you been?! I told you to keep your comms online!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They have been—oh. The jam. Of course,” Obi Wan winced. “Ah, well, we’re back now, and we won’t be leaving again anytime soon, I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re likely keeping up appearances until morning,” Bane groaned, mostly to himself. His voice was getting distressingly quieter.  “Then they can ‘officially’ declare Kul whatshisname the murderer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened down there?” Anakin was simply trying to understand, and Obi Wan knew how much he hated being kept in the dark. But he couldn’t quite focus, not as he watched Bane grimace, trying to examine his own wound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anakin, I’ll tell you everything tomorrow, I promise. But everything is fine now,” he could tell that wouldn’t satisfy him, but it would have to do. “I have to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Obi Wan!” Anakin shouted before he clicked the comm off guiltily. He’d apologize later. He would.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But now, he had to attend to Bane.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knelt down, just as Bane had managed to remove his outer jacket, exposing the tear in his shirt where a blaster bolt had burned through. But that was the least of his worries. The arm in question, burnt lightly by the blaster fire, was broken by the blunt force of the falling debris. Obi Wan regretted bringing the ceiling down, but could not think of what else he should have done instead. Besides, that was the past. Now was time to mend. He stood, pacing around the room, looking through the remains to see if, like the comm station, there was anything else particularly useful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Settle down, you’re making my head hurt worse than the arm,” Bane barked. But Obi Wan ignored him as he found a small panel inlaid with the wall, and opened it up gently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, there you are,” he said happily to the medpack. It was, like the comm station, a little older, but unused, so it’s contents should still be useful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He moved back to kneel before Bane, who made to grab for it, but Obi Wan held it out of reach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a frustrated sigh, Bane reached for it again, “I can do this myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you don’t have to,” he corrected gently. “Besides, technically, I’m the one who broke your arm. I should be the one to fix it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That sold him. Fair exchanges were often broken between bounty hunters, but they were, it seemed, how they made sense of the world around them. Bane was no different, and though he did with some difficulty, he relented, and rested back against the wall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a nod of understanding, Obi Wan set to work, opening the medpack to find all that they needed. Disinfectant, a stimpack, a small amount of Bacta gel, bandages. It wouldn’t be enough to fully heal the broken arm, but it would be enough to set it right until they were back on their ships. He was almost certain Bane had most of the proper equipment to take care of this sort of thing. Didn’t do for one’s image to have to get patched up by real doctors. He picked up the stimpack first, for the pain, and injected it in the exposed skin. Bane hissed, but that was his only reaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll need the shirt off for the rest of this. Just to see how far the damage goes,” Obi Wan said it matter of factly, and it wasn’t until he set about doing so that he thought perhaps Bane could do this himself. His face felt hot, but Bane just watched him carefully out of the corner of his eye. “Should I…?” He coughed, and Bane just shrugged. He guessed that meant he could continue on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He did his best not to think more on that, and focus instead on tending to his patient. Thinking of it that way certainly helped the heat rising up his neck go back down to a more reasonable level. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was slow going, Bane tensing in pain and Obi Wan trying to move more slowly, as he slid the fabric off of his broken arm, but it got done. He grabbed the disinfectant and immediately began spraying the number of cuts covered in dust. The break was internal, thankfully, but the arm was definitely in bad shape. The blue skin had mottled into a deep purple already, covering the entire length. After the cuts were cleaned, it was time for the bacta gel. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We’ll have to fashion a sling somehow. Perhaps with the jacket? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thought as he carefully applied the gel, making sure to not press too hard on the bruised skin, but Bane still tensed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does that hurt?” He tried to be gentler, but Bane cursed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course it hurts, it’s broken!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked him in the eye only to see that Bane was no longer watching as he had been. He was distinctly looking at nothing in particular, just anywhere else. Obi Wan was no longer touching him, but the bounty hunter’s whole body was tight, ready to jump, run, anything to get away. It wasn’t pain that created this tension, no, but it was familiar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost like…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the little noodle shop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was his own particular brand of cruelty. Perhaps this was his own method of revenge for all the trouble Bane had caused him today. But Obi Wan leaned in closer, so when Bane turned, they were face to face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you afraid of, Bane?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His red eyes went wide. He snarled, but there was very little spirit in it. He just stared into Obi Wan’s eyes, and he had to wonder if the shiver that went through Bane just then was due to the pain, or something more akin to a duros blush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing,” it took him much too long to say it, and Obi Wan chuckled. “You’re just… too close, is all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is about as close as you always get when you’re talking about how flustered I am, and how magnificent you are. And this is hardly a flirtatious moment,” Obi Wan would give him that concession. He’d denied it many times before, but all their previous encounters, he’d admit now, were absolutely flirting. He’d admit it, if only to see how Bane reacted to what was happening now. What he’d call it. What would he name this intimacy blooming between them, as Obi Wan began to bandage him up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Bane remained resolute in his silence. He couldn’t settle his eyes though. As Obi Wan finished bandaging his arm, and moved to remove his own jacket to use as a sling, Bane switched between staring straight up at the ceiling, and glancing furtively at Obi Wan. He tried his best, but Obi Wan couldn’t hide the small amused smile Bane’s attempts at subtly gave him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Use my jacket,” Bane said, almost too low for Obi Wan to hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I assumed you’d want to cover this arm up with yours,” Obi Wan said, as nonchalantly as possible, almost mocking Bane's typical tone of voice. “It isn’t a good look for a bounty hunter, appearing injured off the job, hm?” He paused, wickedly. “Unless you’d rather be covered up in mine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That shiver again. If this were any other moment of challenge, Bane would have risen to the occasion with some innuendo that would have knocked Obi Wan down several pegs. Instead, he just stared. The heat came back to Obi Wan’s face quite instantly under the intensity of that gaze. There was something very different in the calculations behind this look. Something very different indeed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” Bane finally said, looking away. “Use yours. Not giving it back though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d hope not.” On the surface, he hadn’t meant that as the challenge it was. But deep down, he found he absolutely had. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Keep it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, something inside him was desperate to say. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’d like you to have something of mine. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Why? He couldn’t say. But the thought was warm, and that small smile still hadn’t gone away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane was all patched up. A long night stretched out before them, and now there was nothing to distract from the electricity that had begun to spark about the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan still knelt beside Bane, and they stared at one another, each sizing the other up, each trying to guess at where the rest of the evening would go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was very close, and not in any of the ways Obi Wan was used to. He’d experienced physical proximity to Bane in battle, blades crossed, he’d experienced it in their battle of wills and wits when they flirted, he’d even kissed Bane twice in one day (today!). But right now, whatever it was that drew them to one another, that scintillating spark that crackled along his skin, he felt near to suffocating from it, if he did not do something, anything to satisfy it. To quell it. To ignite it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instinct seemed to move him forward, he’d hardly realized how he’d leaned in, almost a breath away from Bane’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Bane nudged him back, gently with his knee. “You should rest. You look terrible,” he swallowed, looking away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane did not seem the sort to not take what he wanted. And Obi Wan had thought… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. This was not that sort of rejection. He remembered Bane, the first time he’d met him, sitting quite like this, against the wall of his ship, drunk to the point of stupor, desperate for distraction and clinging to the shreds of his pride. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t take kindly to broken deals</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he had told Obi Wan, even before he’d known his name. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He understood. More than perhaps Bane realized. Another memory, of another rejection, one he figured Bane thought Obi Wan had been too drunk to recall, came to him just as quickly. He’d practically begged Bane to stay with him, to do… well. Help him forget. Help him forget that he’d broken his own heart leaving Satine behind for good. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I got a bad feeling about this, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bane had said, pushing him gently back to his chair. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sort yourself out, Kenobi. I can’t fix this for you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He’d left so quickly after that, and Maz had somehow known to collect Obi Wan, drifting out in space, sad and alone as he was. It had to have been Bane that told her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan nodded, and moved to a secluded corner of the wide room. Rest would be good. For the both of them. And, whatever Bane was sorting through in his mind, it was something he needed to fix alone. Obi Wan absolutely understood that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For his part, sleep rarely came easy anyway. It wasn’t anything as useless as a guilty conscious or fitful dreams, just Cad Bane never really slept much anyway. When he did, it was dreamless, and efficient. Like everything he did, it was with a cold practicality. It was just hard to settle into, is all. Alcohol usually helped, or spice and death sticks back when he still smoked them. Exhausting and pleasurable exercise worked as well. But without these comforts, he was simply a man alone with his thoughts. And they didn’t plague him, but they were never quiet. If problems had to be solved, he was rarely capable of letting them go until a satisfactory answer was settled upon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such was often the situation whenever he dealt with Kenobi. The typical answer had, for years now, been that Kenobi was an irritating bit of fun, would be fun in a myriad of ways, but he was also an obstacle. Just as often as Kenobi had been helpful or had rescued Bane in some heroic, idiotic fashion, he had been the thorn in his side preventing him from accomplishing a goal. And yet, Bane found himself going out his way on many an occasion to place this obstacle in his direct path. He sought him out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another simple answer. Kenobi was a pleasing distraction, like alcohol, like spice. The puzzle of Kenobi was never boring, this was certainly true. Every task became twice as interesting, and Cad Bane always sought what interested him. He was so often bored. Little captured his attention these days, and nothing quite like Kenobi did. So it made sense to seek out the ex-Jedi, to let him become an obstacle, to let him swoop in and be the hero. It brought a little life into the routine. It brought a little challenge to what would assuredly be otherwise easy tasks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d sought others out similarly before. People he thought could challenge him. He took on the work from the Separatists for that reason. Well, mostly the pay, but the challenge the Separatists always set at his feet was always too good to pass up. Especially trying, for his own personal hobby, to decipher the logic of these tasks. Something big was happening behind the scenes of this war, that was almost painfully obvious to him, to the point where it was almost boring. But the more he worked for them, the more he pieced together, and he couldn’t say he cared to chase the answer, but it was something to idle over as sleep didn’t come. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d worked with other bounty hunters in that attempt to find a challenge. He found none of them really rose to the occasion. None quite like Fett had. They became clingy, like Aurra Sing, or dependent like Bossq. They required too much of his own genius, without supplying any of their own. Boba had the potential, but even looking at him left too sour a taste in Bane’s mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, the last time he’d had quite the pleasant challenge was Jango Fett. And no one was like Jango Fett. No one could be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, he could. But that was a different matter entirely. This was…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was another question, and this one did plague him. His interest in Jango Fett had been intense, physical, and… Emotional. He was hesitant to classify anything in that regard. Emotions didn’t do anyone a lick of good. They compromised the integrity of the self, allowing others more importance in your life when all you should be worried about was yourself. That was the only constant in the universe, the only thing to be relied upon. One’s own skill and intellect. One’s own superiority. He often prided himself on his ability to remain detached, and yet. Jango Fett had been different. Completely and totally, his life had been tied up with his. Bane and Fett, Fett and Bane, struck fear into the hearts of the galaxy. And true, both wanted, ambitiously, to outdo one another, but that was part of it. Whoever would have won in that endless battle, Bane would have been proud. He would have been proud to lose to Jango. No one else could have or should have done it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That possibility didn’t quite end with their… Separation. But it ended decidedly with the start of the Clone War, and the swing of a jedi’s blade. A part of him, buried deep within, was still unsettled by that development. It likely would never rest, so long as that question remained unanswered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that question seemed now, intrinsically tied with the new one. Because now, when he thought of Jango Fett, his thoughts drifted seamlessly into the question of Kenobi. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched idly as Kenobi slept, on the far side of the room, hidden just slightly, to give himself or Bane privacy, he wasn’t sure, it didn’t matter, they were still alone, together, in this space, and whenever they were alone, together, foolish questions that never would have bothered him before battered his mind, blocking out sense and reason, replaced by a central question that would be best left unanswered, but he wondered how long he could keep it that way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What was Obi Wan Kenobi to him?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He wanted him, that was an easy answer. He was good-looking, annoyingly so, and the chemistry was evidently there, in abundance. And he was interesting, which made that want even stronger. He was a challenge, an obstacle, a puzzle, a game he could play all day and every day if he really wanted to. But Obi Wan Kenobi also pushed him, worked him over, tried to mold Bane into something he’d never been, someone who thought about other people, who considered his actions and their effects on others. It wasn’t working, but it worked enough that he at the very least was now in the position where he considered Obi Wan in all his actions. Wondered, even if it was far in the back of his mind, what Obi Wan would think. What he would do, what he would say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dangerous, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that was the answer. His arrangement with Jango Fett, diverting as it was, proved dangerous in the end. It still was a liability that he couldn’t let slip--too many people knew about it before, and used it against him. It was old news now, but any day now, someone could get brave and try that again. Boba certainly was the old wound incarnate. And now, Obi Wan Kenobi was starting to slither his way into becoming a similar liability. That wasn’t something Bane really could afford.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His hand clutched his arm, wrapped tightly in a sling fashioned out of Obi Wan’s blue coat, something the idiot began to wear after he’d chastised him for trying to still be something he wasn’t: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Trying to look the part? I thought the Jedi kicked you out. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Now what was he trying to be, he had to wonder, but that wasn’t a question that needed answering. Just another in a series of foolish questions better put aside for now. His arm hurt, that’s why he touched the coat now, looking at the blue, thinking of a pair of clear eyes, enhanced by the color. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stop it, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he warned himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You gotta put a stop to all of this now. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could leave. Steal the shuttle in the night, get off planet on his own, not have to worry about Kenobi, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>kid </span>
  </em>
  <span>was coming to get him. Put the whole mess behind him. Nobody should get to see Cad Bane alone, in his private moments, the moments where he was…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whoever he’d been before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he should leave. He should leave, keep the legend and the mystery alive, not let anyone unravel it until it became just one person. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just one lonely, ordinary person. Forgettable, and done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He should leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He fell asleep trying to convince himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jedi habits rarely left even after one had left the order. Obi Wan was early to rise, and suspected to be the only one. But bounty hunters apparently kept the same hours as Jedi. Bane adjusted his sling, pulling his coat over it, to hide his vulnerable state. It must have been a matter of attitude more than anything, for while the jacket absolutely did not cover the sling, the effect of it hanging off his shoulders did make for a rather cavalier, devil-may-care appearance. Maybe, he let his eyes linger too long. When their eyes met, Bane looked the other way, and sighed, “Your kid’s here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anakin? Already?” Obi Wan grabbed his comm, and rushed for the door, only to see that yes, though trailing behind a couple slow-moving shipping vessels, Anakin and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Reliable </span>
  </em>
  <span>were indeed here and ready for pick up. He beamed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane joined him, toothpick already dangling from his mouth. “Got an earful from him this morning. Kid sure does like to hear himself talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had to laugh at that, “Careful, Bane, that’s your rescue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane made a noncommittal noise at that, and together they walked towards the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and waited until Anakin opened the hatch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled them in, one at a time, but did not seem done with his “earful”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was there ever even a plan to this? Do you just delight in doing the most dangerous, stupid things possible?” It was impossible to tell who he was speaking to, and Obi Wan truly wasn’t certain that the same couldn’t have been applied to Anakin nearly a dozen times over. “I hope you had a nice time, because I have been worried sick!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane did not listen whatsoever, but moved quite decidedly towards the cockpit. When Anakin realized where he was headed, he bounded over, blocking his way, “Oh no, you don’t. First off,” he gestured at Bane’s sling, incredulous, “Are you even in any condition to fly? And secondly, most importantly, actually the only thing I care about: My ship, my rules, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>fly, got it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh is that so? See, I just wasn’t sure, you seemed fairly busy yammering on, I thought perhaps that was your job?” Bane snarled, and the two looked ready to pounce.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s just go, Anakin, before anything else happens,” Obi Wan said, quickly getting in between the two. “Do you have the shuttle?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Traffic made it so I had to pick you two up first,” Anakin huffed. “I’ll get us on our way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll have to make sure they didn’t tamper with it, set it to blow, before you connect with it,” Bane was bored now, moving off to sit at one of their various tool desks idly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why, you piss off the wrong guy, like usual?” Anakin said from the cockpit, already moving the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss </span>
  </em>
  <span>out of the shipping lane, and into the wide space of air above the city.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nobody’s ever pissed off at me, kid. People just think they can renege on a deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t call me kid!” Anakin snapped, but that was the end of that. Obi Wan put a settling hand on his friend’s shoulder, and though Anakin rolled his eyes, that seemed to help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quietly, Anakin leaned towards Obi Wan, and smirked, “Seems like you got out unscathed though. That’s one thing to be thankful for.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was there any doubt?” He offered, happy to see Anakin’s attitude turning around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just scoffed, “A lot of doubts, actually. I’m just happy I didn’t have to stumble upon you two in any compromising positions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan sputtered, “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like in the middle of a fight, Obi Wan,” he absolutely hadn’t meant it, the cheeky glint in his eye was all Obi Wan needed to see to know that. He shoved Anakin grouchily, leaving as the young man giggled to himself for getting under Obi Wan’s skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That put his attention right back on Bane. He wondered if they should talk. About this whole affair, about his arm, about last night in particular, about all of their encounters over the years. Something in him told him that would be pointless: Bane was not the sort who talked over things like this. And truth be told, he likely didn’t think much of Obi Wan beyond…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well. Suffice it to say, Obi Wan was certain that if anything resembling a strong emotional attachment was occurring between the two of them, it was safely a problem just for Obi Wan. One that occupied a great deal of his thoughts, to be sure, but one that Obi Wan could manage in his own way, in his own time, as he always had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t have much luck with who he ended up picking, did he? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, instead of talking, dragging out an unpleasant and unnecessary conversation, Obi Wan sat at a different tool bench, and remained quiet. He tried to think about tomorrow, when things would go back to normal, they would resume whatever orders were on the books, and maybe fly off to do something dashing somewhere else. And Bane would not be here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought made him glance up at Bane, who in turn looked over at him. Obi Wan looked away, cursing himself slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This won’t do. This won’t do at all, </span>
  </em>
  <span>whether he was chastising his inability to come up with anything clever to say, or his heart for how it had flipped and begun to beat much too fast, he couldn’t say. Rather childishly, he began fiddling with an old programming chip for a droid left behind ages ago by some customer or another. It was Anakin’s project, and usually he did not touch those. But he needed the distraction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Especially, as the only response all this garnered was a low, satisfied chuckle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where will you need us to drop you off?” He turned much too quickly, snapping. Bane was smiling at him now, amused beyond reason. He huffed, “Is your ship on Cato Neimoidia somewhere?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I got it taken care of. I’ll let you know when the time’s right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was exceedingly unhelpful. And suspicious. He was about to ask more, when Anakin called back, “Hey could one of you check the shuttle, make sure it’s safe and aligned properly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan moved to do just that, but Bane got there first. He bowed, almost genteelly, “Allow me,” before disappearing through the hatch down to the shuttle below.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bane, your arm,” Obi Wan began, when an alarm sounded in the city.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin shouted, “Damn it, what did you guys do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan had to wonder the same thing. He looked down the hatch, where Bane saluted, and shut it quickly right in his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pieces were coming together. More importantly, pieces were coming apart: the shuttle did not attach at all, and Anakin swerved out of the way, as it lifted off and departed for the atmosphere.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn it, to hell with that no good, rotten sleemo!” Anakin roared, taking off as well, but their path to atmosphere was blocked. A number of Neimoidian guard ships were on their tail, and shooting freely at the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was the plan all along. And foolishly, Obi Wan had gone along with it every step of the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Obi Wan, get on one of the guns!” He didn’t have time to feel sorry for himself, but as he raced up to the controls, and tried to keep the Neimoidian guards from tearing the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Reliable </span>
  </em>
  <span>apart, he could not help but not feel sorry, but horribly annoyed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of this, all of this he could have handled with just a modicum of irritation. They’d done stupider things for worse reasons before, what's one more in the grand scheme of things? Anakin flew amazingly, as always, and Bane, as anyone could have predicted, betrayed them, and they got out down a shuttle and by the skin of their teeth. All in all, a typical day for the crew of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Reliable. </span>
  </em>
  <span>In a week’s time, it’ll even turn out to have been somewhat worth it: Bane did not lie about the cut, and that wasn’t even something either of them had expected. All in all, the blaster fire, the torn down building, a murder, a missing coat and shuttle, and Anakin’s constant teasing, Obi Wan could really handle it all with just one deep, heavy sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he really, really, really could have done without the damn kiss.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was a good experiment as well, in that I was worried about drifting too often away from Anakin and Obi Wan as POVs in the main cheat the system fic, but now that I attempted it here, I feel pretty good exploring some others in the next chapter of Cheat the System, so hopefully it all pays off! </p>
<p>Thanks for reading! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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